Switch-operating device.



' PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907.

` L. Z. PRESTON.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED APE.12.1907.

' zsIIEETs-SEEET 1.

I VTo @allA whom it may concern:

n LEONARD Z. PRESTON, OF SOOTTSVILLE, KANSAS.

' sw'lToH-oeam'ime DEVICE.

-Be it known that 4L'EONARDZ. PRESTON,

-, a citizen .of the-Unitedy States, residing at ing Devices, o iication.

-Scottsville, the county of Mitchell and State -of- Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Switch-Operatwhich the following is a speci ,This invention is a device for operating Istreet railway switches, and more artcue larly that kind com rising aI switc -point thrower carried byt e car and under the control of the motormanortlie conductor.

The objectk ofthe invention isto simV lify the constructionofthe device so that t ere will be no complicated parte to' get out of Order; and also to provide means to faciliN` tate` and insure theengagement of the thrower with the switch- Oint so that the device will be at all times re iable in operation.

In the accompanying drawings, .Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a Ortion of a car platform showing the app `ication of the invention.' Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5V of Fig. 4. Figs. (iandfg' are diagrams showing the operation of the invention. I f

Referring specifically to the drawings, the housing of the thrower comprises cylindrical tubes 1 and 2, respectively, which 'are halved,l the halves or sectionsbeing connected by bolts 3 or in any other suitable manner. At the top of the tube sections are flanges 4 wherebythey are fastened to a iioor late 11 of the car platform 5 by bolts 6 or ot erwise. The floor plate and platform have suitable openings to receive` the parts and the bolts 6 pass through slots in the plate to permit lateral adjustment of the device on the car with respectto the switch. The top ends of the tubes are also connected On op osite sides by lates A7 bolted` thereto. lThexlower ends of tllfe tubes are'sup orted in a hanger 8 secured to the bottorrrof) the platform, said ends assing through o yenings in the hanger and a so being reduce to form shoulders 9 which enga e the hanger. v

In the tu e 1 is mounted to slide up and down4 therein a stem. 10 which projects from both-rends thereof. The upper end of the stemisfittedwith a foot-pedal 12. The lower end of the stem, outside the tube, is s uared 'as indicated at 13 and fitted with a s loe 14 Specification of Letters Patent, Application ned April 12, 1907. Seraing. 397,781.

so that the stem-will turn Patented June 18, 190'?.

the stern by a set-screw 15. i One side of the shoe is beveled as. indicated` at 16, and its front end is pointed for a purpose to be hereinafter described. `Inside the tube the stern has a reduced portion which forms a shoulder 17, and the inside of. the tube is also reduced to form a shoulder 18. Around the reduced portion of the stem between the shoulders 17 and 1 8 is coiled a spring 19 which serves to normally hold thestem elevated whereby the shoe 14 is Arenderedinoperative. Above the spring 19".-the stem has a groove 20 which receives a. stud 21 projecting from the tube 1. The groove vertical or parallel to the axis of thostern, with the exception of itsupper Y end which is madeslanting as indicated at 22 by reason ofihhich the stem will be turned axially when it is.pushed down the tube.

The tube 2 carries a stem 23 which is tted with a shoe 24 in the same manner as the stem 10. The shoe 24 is also beveled as indicated at 25 and has a pointed front end. The beveled Opposite y presented'A The Stem 23 also care ries a foot-pedal 26 and is fitted with a spring for holding it normally elevated. A Vstud 27 and groove 28 for turning the stem is also provided. The slanting A portions of the grooves. 2O and 28 are oppositely presented axially in opposite directions. l The operation` of the device is clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 andv 7 in which 29 denotes a switch-beschaving the usual guard portion 30 and tread portion 31, the latter connecting the main rail 32,With the branch rail 33. The switch-base isl grooved as usual in which groove the switch-tongue 34 works. That portion of vthe guard 30 against which the switch-tongue abuts when it is 'set for the branch track is recessed as indicated at 35, and the point ofthe tongue is beveled on both sides as indicated at I36 so that it will be s aced slightly from the guard. That part olf) the tread. 31 against'l which the switchton ue abuts when it is set for the main line portions 16 and-25 of the shoes are IOO is a so recessed as indicated'at 37. This ar-`.l

rangement is to insure the engagement of the shoes 14 and 24 with the switch-tongue.

IOS

With the switch tongue in the position-fl,- shown in Fig. 6, if the car i's to continue Onthe main line, the motorman places his footfj" g on the pedal 26 and presses the stem 23 until the shoe 24 enters the groove of the rail 32. The-turning movement of the stern heretofore groove.

f be a'suflicient distance above the rail .to clear described presses the point of the shoe tightly against the wall of the groove so that when the recess 35 is reached the point springs into the space between the switch-tongue point andthe guard 30, thus insuring the engagement of the shoe with the switch-tongue. Asthe shoe continues to .travel forwardly its beveled side 25 forces the switch-tongue over against the tread portion 3l ,thus enabling the car to continue on the main line. If the switch-'tongue is already in the latter position the device need not be thrown into operation. After the switch-tongue is thrown, the mo'torman removes his foot from the pedal 26 whereupon the spring elevates the stem and withdraws the shoe 24 from the rail In elevated position/the shoe will obstructions. The slanting portions of the 'grooves 20'and28 will be so located ,that the turning movement of the shoe does nofgqom'- `rnence until it has reached the ia'ilgrooye or.

the groove of the switchdoase.

When the switch is set for the main track and the car is to take the siding the shoe 14 will be broughtinto action in the s me manneras the shoe 24. As the bevele portions' of the shoes are oppositely presented the shoe 14 will throw the switch-tongue in the opposite direction tO that it Was thrown by 3o the shoe 24. The device therefore requires no attention other than taking eare that the proper stem is depressed after the position of the switch-tongue is observed. I

The device -is reliable in operation and as 3 5 its parts are few and simple it is not liabletolv having pointed ends and beveledon opposite 45v sides, and means for throwing said pointed ends into the space between the pointA of the switch-tongue and the guard and tread, re-

spectively.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature, 5o

in presence of two witnesses. '4 `y f LEONARD Z. PRESTON.

Witnesses:

B. R. Wears, i GEO. W..TOLER. v 

